Houghton Lodge Dairy Farm-An Update, January 2026
Readers may recall in the previous two articles on this subject. Firstly, concern was raised about the outline planning application for 900 new houses south of the A47 next to Bushby, with the ramifications for Evington and the surrounding countryside if creeping development led to closure of the separation gap between Evington and Thurnby, Bushby and Stoughton (J McFadyen (2025) Beware Creeping Development, Evington Echo 7th December 2025).
This was linked this to the decision not to renew the lease on Houghton Lodge Dairy Farm and questioned why the landlords Farmcare Trading Limited, were taking such action that ends the life of this successful local farm, throws a hard-working family out of their home and makes five other people redundant? (J McFadyen (2025) Houghton Lodge Farm-The Mystery Deepens, Evington Echo 13th December 2025).
Since then, after much digging, it is now clear that it is nigh on impossible to find out why the decision was taken and why the Herd Manager, his family and his team have not been given any explanation as to why this has happened.
Evolution Farming, who leased the land, were the employer of the dairy workers, and were partnered with Farmcare, on whose behalf they ran the farm, are saying nothing. Farmcare simply say it was a commercial decision.
The Mulberry Homes outline planning bid appeared to be a starting point but given this would only account for part of the working farm, the mystery continued. Could this be linked to the existence of a strategic housing land parcel for an estimated 4000 new houses on the Stoughton Estate?
The ownership and management of the land on which the farm was located is complex, The Welcome Trust own the land, which they purchased from the Co-op during their financial crisis, they manage it through a company of strategic land developers called Urban and Civic, who in turn delegate management of the land to Farmcare Trading Limited, one of their wholly owned subsidiaries. Farmcare work in partnership with farming companies, including Evolution Farming who farm the leased land.
On seeking answers as to any possible links between the decision not to renew the dairy farm lease and the outline plan for 900 new homes, Urban and Civic told me that the land upon which the Mulberry Homes planning application is focussed, is not, and never has been, part of Urban & Civic’s strategic land portfolio, and is not managed by Farmcare Trading.
Mulberry Homes is though identified as a customer of Urban and Civic (https://www.urbanandcivic.com/master-developer/who-we-work-master-developer/customers/).
Mulberry is also in the business of strategic land development. When questioned about this Adam J W Pratt, Development Director Urban & Civic plc had this to say:
“Mulberry is one of over 30 housebuilders delivering homes on serviced land parcels on a U&C strategic site. U&C has had no input or dialogue with Mulberry regarding their planning application at Oadby. Enquiries regarding the mechanism involved in their planning application are best addressed to Mulberry Homes.”
He also clarified that the same was true for the land at Bushby south of the A47.
Another subsidiary of Urban and Civic, whose business structure is complex to say the least, is Catesby Estates, a business solely focused on strategic land promotion and infrastructure delivery. they assess land opportunities and identify the prospects of obtaining planning consent and link with housebuilders with the ability to deliver such schemes.
Mr Pratt confirmed that Catesby are not involved with either application. Thus, the mystery continues and further inquiries are on-going to determine the owners of the land subject to the Bushby planning application.
There is also the outstanding issue of the Welcome Trust’s land, identified by Urban and Civic as what they call strategic development land, which surrounds Stoughton. They have ‘flagged this to Harborough District Council as having the potential to develop 4,000 homes.
If such a development were ever to see the light of day it would wipe out the separation between Evington and Stoughton completely with a couple of small, protected sites such as Cole’s Nursery, perhaps remaining.
In the next couple of articles, the prospect of this is explored and an explanation of the planning process discussed.
